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After the Plague #1-3
After the Plague
From award-winning Imogen Keeper, comes a new gut-wrenching saga filled with danger, darkness, and insatiable romance.
99% of the population dies due to a strange unnatural virus, leaving 1% grieving, scared, desperate, capable of anything, plunged into a world without laws, and no one to enforce them anyway.
Frankie has zero skills to survive, but when she loses the love of her life, she discovers an untapped well of hope and courage inside herself – to find the others, the left-behind survivors who must now rebuild in the face of gathering clans, rising dictators, and everpresent danger.
When Yorke, a lone soldier, who never wanted a family, finds Frankie, he has a single burning conviction: if anyone will make the rules in this strange new lawless world, it will be them.
Before the apocalypse they were strangers. Now their lives will forever be entwined.
This special edition set includes the first three volumes in one sexy, seductive, breathtaking story that blends romance, adventure, and hope into an unforgettable read. Fans of Laura Thalassa and Diana Gabaldon will love this Romantic saga.
★★★★★ "Top notch and faintly terrifying. Imogen Keeper has done it again! Frankie and Yorke are electric! I'm holding my breath for Book 3." -Amazon Reviewer
★★★★★ "An addictive adrenaline rush with twists." -VineReader
★★★★★ "Heartfelt, sad and uplifting all at the same time. This story just keeps getting better and better -Reviewer" - MauiReader
★★★★★ "The ultimate sweetpea badass and utter book boyfriend." - Award-winning Poppy Minnix
★★★★★ "I could not put this down till I finished. Frankie is so much more than she is giving herself credit for. She thinks she is not tough enough, but I see her inner strength." - Amazon
★★★★★ Do yourself a favor and go read books 1 and 2. You can thank me later, when you've laughed and cried and fallen in love with every single character in this incredible series. - Amazon Reviewer
★★★★★ This book was simply amazing. Tensions run high, secrets are revealed, and a new hope is found. 5 complete stars from me for this awesome slow-burn post-apocalyptic romance! - Reviewer
★★★★★ I'm seriously addicted and need to know what happens next!! This post-apocalyptic world is full of new challenges, danger lurks everywhere and someone is amassing an army? Why? I can't wait until the next book is released this summer! - Reviewer
99% of the population dies due to a strange unnatural virus, leaving 1% grieving, scared, desperate, capable of anything, plunged into a world without laws, and no one to enforce them anyway.
Frankie has zero skills to survive, but when she loses the love of her life, she discovers an untapped well of hope and courage inside herself – to find the others, the left-behind survivors who must now rebuild in the face of gathering clans, rising dictators, and everpresent danger.
When Yorke, a lone soldier, who never wanted a family, finds Frankie, he has a single burning conviction: if anyone will make the rules in this strange new lawless world, it will be them.
Before the apocalypse they were strangers. Now their lives will forever be entwined.
This special edition set includes the first three volumes in one sexy, seductive, breathtaking story that blends romance, adventure, and hope into an unforgettable read. Fans of Laura Thalassa and Diana Gabaldon will love this Romantic saga.
★★★★★ "Top notch and faintly terrifying. Imogen Keeper has done it again! Frankie and Yorke are electric! I'm holding my breath for Book 3." -Amazon Reviewer
★★★★★ "An addictive adrenaline rush with twists." -VineReader
★★★★★ "Heartfelt, sad and uplifting all at the same time. This story just keeps getting better and better -Reviewer" - MauiReader
★★★★★ "The ultimate sweetpea badass and utter book boyfriend." - Award-winning Poppy Minnix
★★★★★ "I could not put this down till I finished. Frankie is so much more than she is giving herself credit for. She thinks she is not tough enough, but I see her inner strength." - Amazon
★★★★★ Do yourself a favor and go read books 1 and 2. You can thank me later, when you've laughed and cried and fallen in love with every single character in this incredible series. - Amazon Reviewer
★★★★★ This book was simply amazing. Tensions run high, secrets are revealed, and a new hope is found. 5 complete stars from me for this awesome slow-burn post-apocalyptic romance! - Reviewer
★★★★★ I'm seriously addicted and need to know what happens next!! This post-apocalyptic world is full of new challenges, danger lurks everywhere and someone is amassing an army? Why? I can't wait until the next book is released this summer! - Reviewer
502 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 1, 2021
45 people are currently reading
2577 people want to read
About the author
Imogen Keeper
19 books376 followersAn Amazon best-selling and award-winning author, Immy writes romantic apocalypse and dystopian stories. Her books are a shade too dark to be light, and a tinge too light to be dark. They'll make you cry and worry and wonder, but there's always a layer of hope and laughter and sexy times to brighten it all.
In addition to writing, Immy loves her children, her husband, books about steam and darkness, flowers (even if she accidentally shmurgles half of them), coffee, DIY projects, trying new things, learning new facts, sunshine, guacamole, and sticky toffee pudding.
KEEP UP WITH IMMY ON ALL PLATFORMS
Newsletter VIP room for a FREE BOOK ➜ https://www.imogenkeeper.com/
Facebook➜ https://www.facebook.com/ImogenKeeper
Join her private readers' group ➜ https://www.facebook.com/groups/52366...
Goodreads ➜ https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...
Instagram➜ https://www.instagram.com/imogenkeepe...
Twitter➜ https://twitter.com/Imogen_Keeper
READING ORDER
After the Plague Series
- Broken #1
- Lost #2
- Found #3
- Safe #4
- Home #5 (coming soon)
The City of a Thousand Lies Trilogy
- Outlaw
- Wanted (coming soon)
- Captive (coming soon)
Dirty Little Secret Series
- Talk Dirty to Me
- Fight Dirty with Me
- Draw Dirty for Me (available in installments on Vella)
In addition to writing, Immy loves her children, her husband, books about steam and darkness, flowers (even if she accidentally shmurgles half of them), coffee, DIY projects, trying new things, learning new facts, sunshine, guacamole, and sticky toffee pudding.
KEEP UP WITH IMMY ON ALL PLATFORMS
Newsletter VIP room for a FREE BOOK ➜ https://www.imogenkeeper.com/
Facebook➜ https://www.facebook.com/ImogenKeeper
Join her private readers' group ➜ https://www.facebook.com/groups/52366...
Goodreads ➜ https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...
Instagram➜ https://www.instagram.com/imogenkeepe...
Twitter➜ https://twitter.com/Imogen_Keeper
READING ORDER
After the Plague Series
- Broken #1
- Lost #2
- Found #3
- Safe #4
- Home #5 (coming soon)
The City of a Thousand Lies Trilogy
- Outlaw
- Wanted (coming soon)
- Captive (coming soon)
Dirty Little Secret Series
- Talk Dirty to Me
- Fight Dirty with Me
- Draw Dirty for Me (available in installments on Vella)
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 120 reviews
November 14, 2021
The feeling I had when I first came across this series was that of buying an amazing dress and saving it up cuz your unable to decide the best time to wear it. You can always repeat it but the first time matters you know? I remember asking the author on how many books she plans on writing for the series cuz I hate waiting in anticipation. The author mentioned that the first three could be read at once without issues. I was still a bit skeptical cuz this author was a first for me and I was already in love with the series but then I came across
and I was sold. The characters have a special place in my heart❤❤ The insight in the author's note about the process of creating the characters was wonderful.
PS
Dearest Immy,
You've spoilt me for the books I'm gonna come across in the future in this genre. Yours will be the bar I'm gonna be judging against.
and I was sold. The characters have a special place in my heart❤❤ The insight in the author's note about the process of creating the characters was wonderful.PS
Dearest Immy,
You've spoilt me for the books I'm gonna come across in the future in this genre. Yours will be the bar I'm gonna be judging against.
January 15, 2022
Note: Thank you to Netgalley & the publishers for allowing me access to this book in exchange for an honest review!
In my experience, most post-apocalyptic books are usually either terrible or fantastic. I am happy to say that this story is excellent!
The Good Things
1. The main characters are dynamic and exceptionally well written. They are opposites, so things are kept interesting through the different perspectives.
2. Although this is considered a dystopia romance, I feel like the story is a fantastic work of fiction that is much more in-depth than a mere romance. I dig the slow burn and the relationships in the story.
3. The world-building fits a post-apocalyptic story, and the problems that arise are not too far-fetched in this hypothetical scenario.
The Bad Things
1. I am giving it four stars instead of five because of Volume II. It wasn't my favorite, and I'm not sure if it's because I lost momentum or because it felt lackluster in comparison to the first volume.
In my experience, most post-apocalyptic books are usually either terrible or fantastic. I am happy to say that this story is excellent!
The Good Things
1. The main characters are dynamic and exceptionally well written. They are opposites, so things are kept interesting through the different perspectives.
2. Although this is considered a dystopia romance, I feel like the story is a fantastic work of fiction that is much more in-depth than a mere romance. I dig the slow burn and the relationships in the story.
3. The world-building fits a post-apocalyptic story, and the problems that arise are not too far-fetched in this hypothetical scenario.
The Bad Things
1. I am giving it four stars instead of five because of Volume II. It wasn't my favorite, and I'm not sure if it's because I lost momentum or because it felt lackluster in comparison to the first volume.
February 19, 2022
This book was a devastatingly beautiful masterpiece. Set decades in the future, we meet Washington DC resident Frankie as she and her husband Jimmy brace themselves at the height of the Australian Flu sweeping the world. With an 80% mortality rate, we get a front row seat to the panic, resolution, and ultimately the heartbreak that makes up Frankie’s journey to being a survivor of this catastrophic disease.
In alternating chapters we also meet Yorke, a US Army member who is sent home from Germany along with the other surviving members of the military so that they have the chance to die on their home soil. Trying to find his homeless and drug addicted brother in the city, we watch as he inevitably goes from house to house caring for people in their final hours and eventually driving himself to desperation and slight madness trying to find a new “normal”. One night, standing drunk on a rooftop contemplating suicide, he hears the anguished cry of a woman and realizes he is not alone and becomes determined to find her.
Broken into 3 volumes (or parts) the first called “Broken” sets the tone for both Frankie and Yorke’s stories and sets them on the path to meeting each other. The second volume “Lost” shows them trying to navigate the best way forward…both in the new world they are still a part of as well as personally, having found each other after so much loss in the midst of everything. The third and final volume “Found” shows them bearing new scars from “Lost” but finding their footing and a new sense of normalcy that they can accept and embrace as they move forward into a new future where they hope to rebuild a life together.
This book was devastating. There’s just no way around it. Ripped from the headlines it gives us a painful look at what the current pandemic could have been and fires a warning flare into the sky of how easily the world could in fact look like something similar to this in the future. It hit almost too close to home but gave the accurate picture of what I’m sure so many of us have thought, felt, and worried about over the last few years. What made this book beautiful and an absolute masterpiece was the one thing that still courses through humanity even after we’ve lost everything imaginable: hope.
Frankie is the embodiment of that hope. She doesn’t wear rose colored glasses, she doesn’t try to fool herself into seeing the good or thinking positively, she just simply looks forward. After watching her gut wrenching loss of her husband, you see her give up on life entirely…until she meets a little boy (recently orphaned) and his dog, who ultimately give her the purpose she needs to face forward and press on. I will include a spoiler at the bottom of this review regarding the boy and the dog if you’re like me and have anxiety about something happening to either character :-)
Yorke is the embodiment of the strength, tenacity, and ultimately the compassion that still drive humanity forward even on its darkest days. Tough as nails and trained to be a machine, he can hold his own but chooses to protect, love, and guard those around him; his new found family in Frankie, little Auden and his dog Beast, and the good hearted people they join along the way to somewhere they can all settle down and begin life again. You see where his identity is so tightly wound around his ability to protect and care for others and how that haunts him from his past, but his continued growth through that is incredible to watch especially when played out in such a strong, masculine character.
I did not expect this book to be a spicy as it was but HOLY MOLY did this book send me to the freezer to cool off for a bit!! I don’t know how the author did it but the romance she built between Frankie and Yorke was so pure and beautiful and it burned right off the pages. It did not discredit the love or the loss Frankie felt for her husband, it didn’t follow the “we’re practically the last people on earth so we might as well hook up” trope so often found in post-apocalyptic stories, and it was far from a cheap plot filler. It dealt with Frankie’s grief and loss head on, but did not make Yorke seem fake or like the stereotypical Perfect Male Lead/Book Boyfriend™️. He allowed her the space and the time to grieve her loss and process those feelings and emotions, but also still allowed himself to process her grief and to help her make sense of that without him coming across as feeling threatened, hostile, or alienated in any way. By the end of this book they haven’t even had full blown sex yet but the pure heat and passion between them in the lead up to it has me dying to see them finally collide!!
All in all this was a hard read. Like I said, it hits very close to home given current and recent world events, but the author took such care to deliver a realistic yet beautiful picture of humanity and the darkness that can befall us (no rule or law in a brand new world and the evil that can stem from that), but also the true spirit, grit, determination, and ultimately the love and compassion that runs deep beneath the surface of every person. It reinforces how those qualities should be clung to no matter lies ahead of us in order to build a new, still bright, and hopeful future. I cannot wait to read the next installment and see what comes next for Frankie, Yorke, Auden, Beast, and their new friends.
Thank you so much to NetGalley and to Imogen Keeper for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review!!
**SPOILER** I’m not going to lie, any time I encounter a child or a pet in a story I spend so much time worrying about their well-being that it distracts me from enjoying the book, so I did ravage reviews until I could ensure they would both still be okay in the end. And they both are!! This is a plot point spoiler, hence the marker, but I did just want to include this in my review in case there’s anyone else like me out there who can’t breathe or focus at the thought of losing a child or a beloved pet. **END OF SPOILER**
In alternating chapters we also meet Yorke, a US Army member who is sent home from Germany along with the other surviving members of the military so that they have the chance to die on their home soil. Trying to find his homeless and drug addicted brother in the city, we watch as he inevitably goes from house to house caring for people in their final hours and eventually driving himself to desperation and slight madness trying to find a new “normal”. One night, standing drunk on a rooftop contemplating suicide, he hears the anguished cry of a woman and realizes he is not alone and becomes determined to find her.
Broken into 3 volumes (or parts) the first called “Broken” sets the tone for both Frankie and Yorke’s stories and sets them on the path to meeting each other. The second volume “Lost” shows them trying to navigate the best way forward…both in the new world they are still a part of as well as personally, having found each other after so much loss in the midst of everything. The third and final volume “Found” shows them bearing new scars from “Lost” but finding their footing and a new sense of normalcy that they can accept and embrace as they move forward into a new future where they hope to rebuild a life together.
This book was devastating. There’s just no way around it. Ripped from the headlines it gives us a painful look at what the current pandemic could have been and fires a warning flare into the sky of how easily the world could in fact look like something similar to this in the future. It hit almost too close to home but gave the accurate picture of what I’m sure so many of us have thought, felt, and worried about over the last few years. What made this book beautiful and an absolute masterpiece was the one thing that still courses through humanity even after we’ve lost everything imaginable: hope.
Frankie is the embodiment of that hope. She doesn’t wear rose colored glasses, she doesn’t try to fool herself into seeing the good or thinking positively, she just simply looks forward. After watching her gut wrenching loss of her husband, you see her give up on life entirely…until she meets a little boy (recently orphaned) and his dog, who ultimately give her the purpose she needs to face forward and press on. I will include a spoiler at the bottom of this review regarding the boy and the dog if you’re like me and have anxiety about something happening to either character :-)
Yorke is the embodiment of the strength, tenacity, and ultimately the compassion that still drive humanity forward even on its darkest days. Tough as nails and trained to be a machine, he can hold his own but chooses to protect, love, and guard those around him; his new found family in Frankie, little Auden and his dog Beast, and the good hearted people they join along the way to somewhere they can all settle down and begin life again. You see where his identity is so tightly wound around his ability to protect and care for others and how that haunts him from his past, but his continued growth through that is incredible to watch especially when played out in such a strong, masculine character.
I did not expect this book to be a spicy as it was but HOLY MOLY did this book send me to the freezer to cool off for a bit!! I don’t know how the author did it but the romance she built between Frankie and Yorke was so pure and beautiful and it burned right off the pages. It did not discredit the love or the loss Frankie felt for her husband, it didn’t follow the “we’re practically the last people on earth so we might as well hook up” trope so often found in post-apocalyptic stories, and it was far from a cheap plot filler. It dealt with Frankie’s grief and loss head on, but did not make Yorke seem fake or like the stereotypical Perfect Male Lead/Book Boyfriend™️. He allowed her the space and the time to grieve her loss and process those feelings and emotions, but also still allowed himself to process her grief and to help her make sense of that without him coming across as feeling threatened, hostile, or alienated in any way. By the end of this book they haven’t even had full blown sex yet but the pure heat and passion between them in the lead up to it has me dying to see them finally collide!!
All in all this was a hard read. Like I said, it hits very close to home given current and recent world events, but the author took such care to deliver a realistic yet beautiful picture of humanity and the darkness that can befall us (no rule or law in a brand new world and the evil that can stem from that), but also the true spirit, grit, determination, and ultimately the love and compassion that runs deep beneath the surface of every person. It reinforces how those qualities should be clung to no matter lies ahead of us in order to build a new, still bright, and hopeful future. I cannot wait to read the next installment and see what comes next for Frankie, Yorke, Auden, Beast, and their new friends.
Thank you so much to NetGalley and to Imogen Keeper for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review!!
**SPOILER** I’m not going to lie, any time I encounter a child or a pet in a story I spend so much time worrying about their well-being that it distracts me from enjoying the book, so I did ravage reviews until I could ensure they would both still be okay in the end. And they both are!! This is a plot point spoiler, hence the marker, but I did just want to include this in my review in case there’s anyone else like me out there who can’t breathe or focus at the thought of losing a child or a beloved pet. **END OF SPOILER**
November 11, 2021
A gripping tale of a world devastated by a virulent plague and subsequent breakdown of civilization, brought alive with vivid descriptions and characters. It's tough to read at times, only because it packs such an emotional wallop, especially given current events, but the heart-wrenching portions are balanced out by hope, tenacity, humor, and some steam of a slow-burn variety. I loved the chemistry between the characters and can't wait for the next book!
November 19, 2022
"Maybe in the solar system of us, we're the planets, Auden, me, and Beast, and we all revolve around Frankie. Maybe she's our sun."
Over 90% of the world's population is lost to a deadly virus, and it's a desolate and dangerous world for the survivors. Frankie, as it happens, has no practical survival skills. Jimmy tried to teach her, but she's left to figure things out on her own. As she navigates her city in attempts to find resources and other survivors, she meets Auden. And Beast. And Yorke. Together, they must face the dangers ahead- not just the virus, but the other survivors... namely the rising, angry group of survivors in the White House.
"Before the apocalypse they were strangers. Now their lives will forever be entwined."
--
⚠️ Book TW: deadly disease, violence/gore, emotional distress & grief, assault, attempted s*xual assault, su*cid@l thoughts
I had a difficult time in the beginning due to the subject matter and how incredibly well written this book (collection) is. I knew what I was getting into, my emotions are not a knock on this book, but I feel it's important to mention: It is vivid, descriptive, and well-thought out. It hit home in a way I wasn't prepared for, and that, to me, speaks to the quality of writing I felt in Imogen Keeper's work. Once I was able to get into the right headspace, I dove back in and was damn near unable to put my Kindle down.
The way Imogen Keeper puts readers in Frankie's mind and explores her feelings through the unimaginable apocalypse, her grief, and her hope... It's mesmerizing. Devastating. Brutal. And Beautiful. You can tell that the author loves these characters and she makes her readers fall just as much in love. Frankie is the hope, beauty, and determination. Yorke is the strength, stability, and logic. And Auden... Auden is the reason, perfection, and future. The slow burn had me drooling and the character dynamics had me in tears. Good ones, I promise.
I found After the Plague on a whim while browsing NetGalley and was thrilled to have gotten my request approved. I had never heard of it before, but the cover and blurb had me totally intrigued. After reading, I cannot believe (and am a bit mad) no one told me about this series before. Yorke is a new top fictional bf, for me. Hands down.
Story and plot? Love. Characters? Obsessed. Writing? Wonderful. Highly recommend. I also recommend reading all volumes back-to-back. I understand the breaks in the books, but it's just too good: read the special edition with all-in-one.
Thank you NetGalley, Mindless Muse, and Imogen Keeper for my copy of After the Plague in exchange for my honest review!
Over 90% of the world's population is lost to a deadly virus, and it's a desolate and dangerous world for the survivors. Frankie, as it happens, has no practical survival skills. Jimmy tried to teach her, but she's left to figure things out on her own. As she navigates her city in attempts to find resources and other survivors, she meets Auden. And Beast. And Yorke. Together, they must face the dangers ahead- not just the virus, but the other survivors... namely the rising, angry group of survivors in the White House.
"Before the apocalypse they were strangers. Now their lives will forever be entwined."
--
⚠️ Book TW: deadly disease, violence/gore, emotional distress & grief, assault, attempted s*xual assault, su*cid@l thoughts
I had a difficult time in the beginning due to the subject matter and how incredibly well written this book (collection) is. I knew what I was getting into, my emotions are not a knock on this book, but I feel it's important to mention: It is vivid, descriptive, and well-thought out. It hit home in a way I wasn't prepared for, and that, to me, speaks to the quality of writing I felt in Imogen Keeper's work. Once I was able to get into the right headspace, I dove back in and was damn near unable to put my Kindle down.
The way Imogen Keeper puts readers in Frankie's mind and explores her feelings through the unimaginable apocalypse, her grief, and her hope... It's mesmerizing. Devastating. Brutal. And Beautiful. You can tell that the author loves these characters and she makes her readers fall just as much in love. Frankie is the hope, beauty, and determination. Yorke is the strength, stability, and logic. And Auden... Auden is the reason, perfection, and future. The slow burn had me drooling and the character dynamics had me in tears. Good ones, I promise.
I found After the Plague on a whim while browsing NetGalley and was thrilled to have gotten my request approved. I had never heard of it before, but the cover and blurb had me totally intrigued. After reading, I cannot believe (and am a bit mad) no one told me about this series before. Yorke is a new top fictional bf, for me. Hands down.
Story and plot? Love. Characters? Obsessed. Writing? Wonderful. Highly recommend. I also recommend reading all volumes back-to-back. I understand the breaks in the books, but it's just too good: read the special edition with all-in-one.
Thank you NetGalley, Mindless Muse, and Imogen Keeper for my copy of After the Plague in exchange for my honest review!
February 17, 2022
This book was fan-freaking-tastic! If you are into post-apoc survival stories, this book is for you!
After the Plague is broken into three sections, or volumes, but in this version, they were all in one book, and I liked it that way. Each volume is pretty short, and I didn't want to stop reading. I didn't want to stop so much so that when I finished last night, I immediately downloaded volume 4 because I needed to keep going with these characters and their stories!
This story has a virus that wipes out most people, leaving just a few survivors who start to find each other. The narration alternates between Frankie and Yorke. Frankie loses her husband, and it is devastating to her. So much so that while she doesn't get sick, she's determined just curl up on his grave and die, but life doesn't work out like that for her, and pretty soon she's out there surviving just like she promised her husband she would.
Yorke and Frankie have a hot and spicy connection and the author does a great job of letting that relationship have a slow burn as Frankie is grieving for her husband. I like how she gives the reader snippets of relief allowing them to get entangled in their feelings, but then pulls back, and we have to wait again. These scenes are descriptive and on fire so be ready for that!
The survival aspect is something I love in post-apoc fiction, and I really enjoyed that Frankie isn't a survivalist. She "can't do anything", but we find that she can, and it's awesome to follow her as she learns. Yorke on the other hand, is a man that is trained to survive, so he's our hero that sweeps in with guns blazing, giving the story lots of high-velocity action!
I absolutely couldn't put this book down, and I immediately grabbed the next one, so it's a huge 5 stars for me, and I highly recommend it!
Content Warnings: Drug use, kidnapping, murder, hostage situation, abuse, descriptive gun violence, and graphic sexual depiction (it's good though😉) Really, everything you think about a post-apoc world.
I was provided a gifted copy of this book for free. I am leaving my review voluntarily.
After the Plague is broken into three sections, or volumes, but in this version, they were all in one book, and I liked it that way. Each volume is pretty short, and I didn't want to stop reading. I didn't want to stop so much so that when I finished last night, I immediately downloaded volume 4 because I needed to keep going with these characters and their stories!
This story has a virus that wipes out most people, leaving just a few survivors who start to find each other. The narration alternates between Frankie and Yorke. Frankie loses her husband, and it is devastating to her. So much so that while she doesn't get sick, she's determined just curl up on his grave and die, but life doesn't work out like that for her, and pretty soon she's out there surviving just like she promised her husband she would.
Yorke and Frankie have a hot and spicy connection and the author does a great job of letting that relationship have a slow burn as Frankie is grieving for her husband. I like how she gives the reader snippets of relief allowing them to get entangled in their feelings, but then pulls back, and we have to wait again. These scenes are descriptive and on fire so be ready for that!
The survival aspect is something I love in post-apoc fiction, and I really enjoyed that Frankie isn't a survivalist. She "can't do anything", but we find that she can, and it's awesome to follow her as she learns. Yorke on the other hand, is a man that is trained to survive, so he's our hero that sweeps in with guns blazing, giving the story lots of high-velocity action!
I absolutely couldn't put this book down, and I immediately grabbed the next one, so it's a huge 5 stars for me, and I highly recommend it!
Content Warnings: Drug use, kidnapping, murder, hostage situation, abuse, descriptive gun violence, and graphic sexual depiction (it's good though😉) Really, everything you think about a post-apoc world.
I was provided a gifted copy of this book for free. I am leaving my review voluntarily.
March 28, 2022
A gripping and timely read about the aftermath following a plague and the survivors left behind.
This was rather timely in the midst of COVID and executed in a clever way. From the beginning to the end it was a journey that I enjoyed.
Emotionally it’s a bit of a roller coaster but it’s balanced out by some witty banter between characters and a romance that i enjoyed more than expected.
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.
This was rather timely in the midst of COVID and executed in a clever way. From the beginning to the end it was a journey that I enjoyed.
Emotionally it’s a bit of a roller coaster but it’s balanced out by some witty banter between characters and a romance that i enjoyed more than expected.
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.
November 15, 2021
I am enjoying this story so far. Book 4 is next, I am interested to see what comes next for the main characters: Frankie, Auden, Yorke & Beast.
It is a story of survival as the world falls apart during a pandemic. The people who don't die have to fend for themselves, and as always there are bad people looking to take advantage of the situation.
It is a story of survival as the world falls apart during a pandemic. The people who don't die have to fend for themselves, and as always there are bad people looking to take advantage of the situation.
April 19, 2022
After browsing Netgalley I came across this cover and was immediately intrigued. After getting accepted I couldn’t read this book fast enough. I loved that it was divided into three sections because it felt like binge reading a series.
The book was devastatingly good. I’m usually not a fan of anything dystopian or post-apocalyptic but this book made me a believer. At first when the book starts and it is announced that the story line revolves around a virus that is causing a massive pandemic shutting countries around the world it hit close to home, but the writing was so exquisite that I physically couldn’t stop from looking to see what happens next. We follow Frankie through the horrifying loss of her husband, her taking on a role as a parental figure for a newly orphaned boy and the way everything is written it feels like you are in survival mode with her. How she kept moving forward absolutely racked my brain, how she clung to hope made hope sprung up in my chest as well.
Yorke on the other hand is survival mode came to life. Where Frankie lacks any former training for a horrible event like this one, Yorke is all guns blazing and knows exactly how to move in this new world.
I absolutely loved the dynamic between these two. I respected the slow burn so much in order for Frankie to grieve properly, so when the connections started flying and they finally verbally expressed how they both felt I was fist pumping the air. Have to give it to this author- she knows how to write spicy scenes.
Overall, masterpiece of a book. The only reason I subtracted one star was because part two of the book felt a bit dragging, but was made up for later on in part 3!
Would absolutely 100% recommend.
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with this ARC.
The book was devastatingly good. I’m usually not a fan of anything dystopian or post-apocalyptic but this book made me a believer. At first when the book starts and it is announced that the story line revolves around a virus that is causing a massive pandemic shutting countries around the world it hit close to home, but the writing was so exquisite that I physically couldn’t stop from looking to see what happens next. We follow Frankie through the horrifying loss of her husband, her taking on a role as a parental figure for a newly orphaned boy and the way everything is written it feels like you are in survival mode with her. How she kept moving forward absolutely racked my brain, how she clung to hope made hope sprung up in my chest as well.
Yorke on the other hand is survival mode came to life. Where Frankie lacks any former training for a horrible event like this one, Yorke is all guns blazing and knows exactly how to move in this new world.
I absolutely loved the dynamic between these two. I respected the slow burn so much in order for Frankie to grieve properly, so when the connections started flying and they finally verbally expressed how they both felt I was fist pumping the air. Have to give it to this author- she knows how to write spicy scenes.
Overall, masterpiece of a book. The only reason I subtracted one star was because part two of the book felt a bit dragging, but was made up for later on in part 3!
Would absolutely 100% recommend.
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with this ARC.
October 31, 2021
Before the COVID pandemic I read several apocalyptic and dystopian books and enjoyed them because they were so far from reality. Yeah, 2020 changed that perspective!
I initially read books 1-3 in novella form and had to not so patiently waiting for the next book.
This book engaged emotions that I’ve buried the last year as the world changed around me, and actually allowed me to breath a sigh of relief for the positives we still have left compared to the unimaginable situation faced by the characters in this series. Thank God our world isn’t as tragic as what Frankie and Yorke experience!
Imogen has created characters that are flawed and human, trying to survive a horrific situation and just doing the best they can. It was interesting to see how they started to adapt and change based on their new environment. Beast and Auden are heart meltingly sweet and definitely give a glimmer of unexpected joy to Frankie.
This story is an addictive adrenaline rush with twists and unexpected developments. As the story progresses, Frankie develops into a much more capable woman, become a partner to Yorke and a mother to Auden.
This post apocalyptic world is full of new challenges, danger lurks everywhere and someone is amassing an army? Why?
I can’t wait until the next book is released! I’m seriously addicted and need to know what happens next!!
I received an ARC from the author and I am voluntarily leaving a review.
I initially read books 1-3 in novella form and had to not so patiently waiting for the next book.
This book engaged emotions that I’ve buried the last year as the world changed around me, and actually allowed me to breath a sigh of relief for the positives we still have left compared to the unimaginable situation faced by the characters in this series. Thank God our world isn’t as tragic as what Frankie and Yorke experience!
Imogen has created characters that are flawed and human, trying to survive a horrific situation and just doing the best they can. It was interesting to see how they started to adapt and change based on their new environment. Beast and Auden are heart meltingly sweet and definitely give a glimmer of unexpected joy to Frankie.
This story is an addictive adrenaline rush with twists and unexpected developments. As the story progresses, Frankie develops into a much more capable woman, become a partner to Yorke and a mother to Auden.
This post apocalyptic world is full of new challenges, danger lurks everywhere and someone is amassing an army? Why?
I can’t wait until the next book is released! I’m seriously addicted and need to know what happens next!!
I received an ARC from the author and I am voluntarily leaving a review.
December 9, 2021
I don’t even know where to begin with a review for this book. It was everything I expected and so much more. I thought it would be another end of the world/apocalypse book and what I got was a saga set in a post-apocalyptic world that’s told through two soulful and dynamic characters. The thought and detail that went into building this world is first rate. You can’t help but hold your breath as you endure the triumphs and tragedies with Frankie and Yorke and their band of survivors. This book was promoted as a romance but is so much more complex. There’s love, loss, heart pounding action, terror, gut wrenching heartache, redemption, steamy romance, and a tale of survival. I can’t wait to get my hands on the next installment.
November 10, 2021
I first read the After the Plague novels as they each came out, and I've reviewed them individually. But now that the first three are available in this beautiful package I want to let more readers know how fantastic this series is. If I could have one wish it would be to read Imogen’s books again for the first time; that’s how amazing she makes you feel with her writing. I'll briefly review each book again here so you don't have to search for my originals. The series is told in alternating points of view by Frankie, the female protagonist, and Yorke, the male hero. A little background: The setting is the near future, with a huge conflict in the form of a mutated flu that's killed billions. The odds of survival are rare, though some random people seem immune. Frankie is a painter, married to the love of her life, Jimmy. He takes care of her, both emótionally and physically. He's also 13 years her senior. Yorke, the other POV character, is basically Frankie’s opposite. He’s a special forces soldier who fought in WWIII, which apparently was awful. He has no real frīends or family. He calls himself a rock. He does have a junkie younger brother he barely knows, and his only real goal besides surviving is to find him.
BROKEN
Washington, DC, where Frankie and Jimmy live, has gotten progressively worse in days. Food deliveries stopped. Jimmy wants to leave for his father's farmhouse outside of town. Around the same time, Yorke returned from Germany and surveils the streets. He sees Jimmy and Frankie for the first time, and something about her stays with him (mostly her ass, but he's a guy who thinks he could die, so whatever). They don't meet. Nor do Jimmy and Frankie make it past the guards. They vow to try again, but Jimmy gets sick.
You can guess what happens from there. Yes, this is a romance. And yes, Jimmy is a wonderful man who doesn't deserve to die. But he has to. And you always know he will. That's what's so tragic and beautiful about the following books. In this one, I was bawling along with Frankie as she buried him and didn't know how she'd move forward. She mourns, and this scream is pulled from her like her soul is ripping apart. Yorke, in some dead guy's house, drunk and thinking he might end things, hears it. And knows it's her. A dog hears her too and rather than letting her lay down and die, his nudge gets her up to return him to his owners. Where she finds a little boy named Auden. And I won't spoil the plot from there.
LOST
In this second book, we see Frankie choose life and hope and love for this little boy who has lost at least as much as she has. She gets him away from the city and cares for him. In her mind, she has zero survival skills for the apocalypse. But as a reader, you can tell, even from Broken, that she's tougher than she gives herself credit for. And she has a natural joy for life that is breaking through, even while she's grieving. But when she gets hurt she realizes Auden needs more than just her, and they venture into the city looking for survivors she'd seen before the TV went out. This is where she meets Yorke, who hasn't forgotten her, and he saves both her and Auden from another group that's hoarding guns and grabbing kids. Yorke is trained in all types of survival. He's not only huge and physically intimidating, but he's also a total alpha male. Talk about an officer and a gentleman... He knows what Frankie's been through with her husband dying and he doesn't try to push her. Frankie knows he wants her though. She wants him too. Even Auden picks up on it. He's so understanding and patient. He knows there's room in her heart for him and Jimmy. It's impossible, girls, not to fall in love with Yorke in this book. If I had to go through the apocalypse, please write him in by my side.
They fall into a routine, where Yorke is clearing the bridges every day so they can leave the city; and Frankie and Auden scavenge the nearby houses. Until one day she comes out of one to find Auden gone. He always waits for her to ensure there are no dead people inside before they both go in. She streams for him, gets hit and taken. I won't give spoilers about what happens in the house, but a tweaker had grabbed Auden and then her, and she's beat visibly. Yorke panics when he realizes they're gone, but of course with his skills finds them, busts in, rescues his people, and kills the would-be rapist. There's a lot more going on in this book. It's a lot longer than Broken, and the next book is even more intense. Imogen’s wordsmithing will have you highlighting passages and going back to read how beautiful they are. There's conflict layered upon conflict. The sexual tension building between Yorke and Frankie is so intense I'm surprised my e-reader didn't combust. And of course the backdrop is the apocalypse. But there's joy too. I flat-out laughed when Frankie breaks into a mall, I think, and loots pricey (but worth it, trust me) La Mer face cream bottles. Thousands of dollars worth. I wrote the author and asked her to please not kill the La Mer. That's totally something I would loot if the world was ending. That's when you know Frankie still seeks joy.
FOUND
In the final novel in this series, Frankie feełs helpless because she has to use a crutch after her attack. Auden isn't speaking; he's traumatized. Yorke is acting weird and will barely look at her face. Once Frankie sees it in a mirror, she understands. She thinks he might be mad he had to kill someone for her, but that's not it. He doesn't want her to know that he shares the same gene pool as her attacker. He didn't hesitate to kill him, even when he recognized the man as his little brother. And now he's dealing with how he failed him in life. He tried to reconnect when he got home, but his brother wanted nothing to do with him. And now that kid he abandoned turned into the man who did what he did to the woman he loves. He carries these things alone. Since Frankie can't get Auden to talk she gets Yorke, who's barely talking, to take them to a library for books on child psychology, growing food, romance novels, comic books, and anything else that looks appealing. Later they meet another group and after some tension, agree to join together. Yorke and Frankie are trying to reconnect with the group they'd lost the night they met, and one of these women knows how to get where they are staying.
In this part, Frankie has other women to talk to about her feelings for Yorke. These women were married too, and when she says that she was really in love wīth her husband and ends up crying every time Yorke touches her, they understand because they've been there. One who is sleeping with a younger man in the group explains she still cries every time, and sometimes he does too. When Frankie gets drunk and tries to have sex with Yorke, he won't. But when they kiss, it's just as hot.
The group finds a place to go, which is where they'll settle when the next set of books comes out, starting with Safe in mid-December.
I can't recommend this series highly enough. I read each on Kindle Unlimited, then bought them so I would always have a copy to reread and to support the author. The first book, Broken, is available on Audible and is narrated by the author and William Trevino. It's beautiful. The rest are coming soon.
I received an Advanced Readers Copy in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.
BROKEN
Washington, DC, where Frankie and Jimmy live, has gotten progressively worse in days. Food deliveries stopped. Jimmy wants to leave for his father's farmhouse outside of town. Around the same time, Yorke returned from Germany and surveils the streets. He sees Jimmy and Frankie for the first time, and something about her stays with him (mostly her ass, but he's a guy who thinks he could die, so whatever). They don't meet. Nor do Jimmy and Frankie make it past the guards. They vow to try again, but Jimmy gets sick.
You can guess what happens from there. Yes, this is a romance. And yes, Jimmy is a wonderful man who doesn't deserve to die. But he has to. And you always know he will. That's what's so tragic and beautiful about the following books. In this one, I was bawling along with Frankie as she buried him and didn't know how she'd move forward. She mourns, and this scream is pulled from her like her soul is ripping apart. Yorke, in some dead guy's house, drunk and thinking he might end things, hears it. And knows it's her. A dog hears her too and rather than letting her lay down and die, his nudge gets her up to return him to his owners. Where she finds a little boy named Auden. And I won't spoil the plot from there.
LOST
In this second book, we see Frankie choose life and hope and love for this little boy who has lost at least as much as she has. She gets him away from the city and cares for him. In her mind, she has zero survival skills for the apocalypse. But as a reader, you can tell, even from Broken, that she's tougher than she gives herself credit for. And she has a natural joy for life that is breaking through, even while she's grieving. But when she gets hurt she realizes Auden needs more than just her, and they venture into the city looking for survivors she'd seen before the TV went out. This is where she meets Yorke, who hasn't forgotten her, and he saves both her and Auden from another group that's hoarding guns and grabbing kids. Yorke is trained in all types of survival. He's not only huge and physically intimidating, but he's also a total alpha male. Talk about an officer and a gentleman... He knows what Frankie's been through with her husband dying and he doesn't try to push her. Frankie knows he wants her though. She wants him too. Even Auden picks up on it. He's so understanding and patient. He knows there's room in her heart for him and Jimmy. It's impossible, girls, not to fall in love with Yorke in this book. If I had to go through the apocalypse, please write him in by my side.
They fall into a routine, where Yorke is clearing the bridges every day so they can leave the city; and Frankie and Auden scavenge the nearby houses. Until one day she comes out of one to find Auden gone. He always waits for her to ensure there are no dead people inside before they both go in. She streams for him, gets hit and taken. I won't give spoilers about what happens in the house, but a tweaker had grabbed Auden and then her, and she's beat visibly. Yorke panics when he realizes they're gone, but of course with his skills finds them, busts in, rescues his people, and kills the would-be rapist. There's a lot more going on in this book. It's a lot longer than Broken, and the next book is even more intense. Imogen’s wordsmithing will have you highlighting passages and going back to read how beautiful they are. There's conflict layered upon conflict. The sexual tension building between Yorke and Frankie is so intense I'm surprised my e-reader didn't combust. And of course the backdrop is the apocalypse. But there's joy too. I flat-out laughed when Frankie breaks into a mall, I think, and loots pricey (but worth it, trust me) La Mer face cream bottles. Thousands of dollars worth. I wrote the author and asked her to please not kill the La Mer. That's totally something I would loot if the world was ending. That's when you know Frankie still seeks joy.
FOUND
In the final novel in this series, Frankie feełs helpless because she has to use a crutch after her attack. Auden isn't speaking; he's traumatized. Yorke is acting weird and will barely look at her face. Once Frankie sees it in a mirror, she understands. She thinks he might be mad he had to kill someone for her, but that's not it. He doesn't want her to know that he shares the same gene pool as her attacker. He didn't hesitate to kill him, even when he recognized the man as his little brother. And now he's dealing with how he failed him in life. He tried to reconnect when he got home, but his brother wanted nothing to do with him. And now that kid he abandoned turned into the man who did what he did to the woman he loves. He carries these things alone. Since Frankie can't get Auden to talk she gets Yorke, who's barely talking, to take them to a library for books on child psychology, growing food, romance novels, comic books, and anything else that looks appealing. Later they meet another group and after some tension, agree to join together. Yorke and Frankie are trying to reconnect with the group they'd lost the night they met, and one of these women knows how to get where they are staying.
In this part, Frankie has other women to talk to about her feelings for Yorke. These women were married too, and when she says that she was really in love wīth her husband and ends up crying every time Yorke touches her, they understand because they've been there. One who is sleeping with a younger man in the group explains she still cries every time, and sometimes he does too. When Frankie gets drunk and tries to have sex with Yorke, he won't. But when they kiss, it's just as hot.
The group finds a place to go, which is where they'll settle when the next set of books comes out, starting with Safe in mid-December.
I can't recommend this series highly enough. I read each on Kindle Unlimited, then bought them so I would always have a copy to reread and to support the author. The first book, Broken, is available on Audible and is narrated by the author and William Trevino. It's beautiful. The rest are coming soon.
I received an Advanced Readers Copy in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.
February 5, 2022
I really enjoy reading apocalyptic stories. The what ifs always drag me in with the potential that could happen to our world. Checking out the blurb for After the Plague series hit way too close to home considering what is going on in real world today. But I just had to see what an author would come up with. Would it just be a repeat of what I see on the news today or would Ms. Keeper spin it a completely different way? Got to admit, it’s handy to have all three volumes in one set. Means I can keep going and not wait around for the next book.
BROKEN - Volume 1
YEESH! The plague in this story reads like Covid on Speed! Had to check the date to see when the book was first published. March 2020. Yes, I can see why the author would think we are headed to the population dying off. What’s worse than a pandemic? I don’t know and I’m not sure I want to just so long as it stays confined with these pages. There’s a long build-up to Broken. The stage needs to be set so we the reader can understand what is going on in the world. At times I felt I was living this story. Almost. Almost.
The characters in the story felt so real. I can feel their pain, their fear, their despair. No punches are pulled here as Frankie and Yorke deal with the new world they find themselves in. Their struggles to survive the loss of the what had been, to keep going on. Frankie, oh Frankie. Her pain and loss had me in tears. Her courage, on finding a reason, to keep going. Everything is so palpable. I just couldn’t get what they were going through out of my head. I lost sleep over this book because there was no way I couldn’t wait to find out what would happen next.
LOST - Volume 2
Having just finished Broken, I immediately had to know what was going to happen next. So, without any hesitation or the need for sleep, I continue on to Lost. Book one hit me in all the feels, had me running the gambit of all emotions. This time I’m really enjoying how things are developing for Frankie and Yorke and not so focused on the destroyed world. It all feels so real. Yes, I can see the natural progressing of surviving. Author Imogen Keeper has really nailed it, how the new world could be, how survivors would react. It feels so real, I am ready to put in solar panels in my own home.
And yet, as much as I enjoyed Lost, I felt it just a tiny bit…predictable. Not the whole book, just a certain situation. I saw it coming and, in that moment, I was oh please don’t. I’m really into the story loving every minute and then this? The aftermath was handled very well, and I don’t think we have seen the end of the fallout. It was just a bit too cliché and I found it a little disappointing that it needed to be inserted into the storyline. That’s just my personal opinion of course. With or without it, this is still turning out to be an amazing series.
Found – Volume 3
Still sitting here dealing with the fallout from the last book and expecting more pain and suffering to be read in the third entry, Found. I get that and more. So much more. I honestly didn’t expect to find myself laughing. Yes, there were tears and gut-wrenching fear, but also moments of hilarity. Oh, the surprises instore for Frankie and Yorke. New crew, new life, and actual future together. Is it possible? The emotions between them as the heat cranks up another notch so delicious. But there are secrets that still lay between them, lost loves and pain, and it’s a hurdle they need to get over. The growth between them as a couple and as they find their own individual strengths is what really makes this series special
I’ve run the gambit of emotions. Devastation, tears, laughter. One epic moment after another. But it all comes to one crashing explosive moment as Frankie, Yorke, Auden, Beast and their new crew make the impossible choice of where they are going to live out our post-apocalyptic lives. Can they get out of the city? What’s in store for them next? The anticipation is killing me!
Thank goodness for boxsets! To have all three volumes together without having to sit around and wait for the next book is a total win for me. There’s a lot that happens in each book from the initial devastation of the plague in book one, to the building of the relationship between Frankie and Yorke in book two and finally to book three’s friends, fallout, and freedom. Yes, there is a lot to going on and I loved it so much that I could just keep going through each book non-stop. This is a series I will be recommending!
Stars: 5
I received this book from Netgalley. I was not compensated for the book other than the entertainment it provided. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
BROKEN - Volume 1
YEESH! The plague in this story reads like Covid on Speed! Had to check the date to see when the book was first published. March 2020. Yes, I can see why the author would think we are headed to the population dying off. What’s worse than a pandemic? I don’t know and I’m not sure I want to just so long as it stays confined with these pages. There’s a long build-up to Broken. The stage needs to be set so we the reader can understand what is going on in the world. At times I felt I was living this story. Almost. Almost.
The characters in the story felt so real. I can feel their pain, their fear, their despair. No punches are pulled here as Frankie and Yorke deal with the new world they find themselves in. Their struggles to survive the loss of the what had been, to keep going on. Frankie, oh Frankie. Her pain and loss had me in tears. Her courage, on finding a reason, to keep going. Everything is so palpable. I just couldn’t get what they were going through out of my head. I lost sleep over this book because there was no way I couldn’t wait to find out what would happen next.
LOST - Volume 2
Having just finished Broken, I immediately had to know what was going to happen next. So, without any hesitation or the need for sleep, I continue on to Lost. Book one hit me in all the feels, had me running the gambit of all emotions. This time I’m really enjoying how things are developing for Frankie and Yorke and not so focused on the destroyed world. It all feels so real. Yes, I can see the natural progressing of surviving. Author Imogen Keeper has really nailed it, how the new world could be, how survivors would react. It feels so real, I am ready to put in solar panels in my own home.
And yet, as much as I enjoyed Lost, I felt it just a tiny bit…predictable. Not the whole book, just a certain situation. I saw it coming and, in that moment, I was oh please don’t. I’m really into the story loving every minute and then this? The aftermath was handled very well, and I don’t think we have seen the end of the fallout. It was just a bit too cliché and I found it a little disappointing that it needed to be inserted into the storyline. That’s just my personal opinion of course. With or without it, this is still turning out to be an amazing series.
Found – Volume 3
Still sitting here dealing with the fallout from the last book and expecting more pain and suffering to be read in the third entry, Found. I get that and more. So much more. I honestly didn’t expect to find myself laughing. Yes, there were tears and gut-wrenching fear, but also moments of hilarity. Oh, the surprises instore for Frankie and Yorke. New crew, new life, and actual future together. Is it possible? The emotions between them as the heat cranks up another notch so delicious. But there are secrets that still lay between them, lost loves and pain, and it’s a hurdle they need to get over. The growth between them as a couple and as they find their own individual strengths is what really makes this series special
I’ve run the gambit of emotions. Devastation, tears, laughter. One epic moment after another. But it all comes to one crashing explosive moment as Frankie, Yorke, Auden, Beast and their new crew make the impossible choice of where they are going to live out our post-apocalyptic lives. Can they get out of the city? What’s in store for them next? The anticipation is killing me!
Thank goodness for boxsets! To have all three volumes together without having to sit around and wait for the next book is a total win for me. There’s a lot that happens in each book from the initial devastation of the plague in book one, to the building of the relationship between Frankie and Yorke in book two and finally to book three’s friends, fallout, and freedom. Yes, there is a lot to going on and I loved it so much that I could just keep going through each book non-stop. This is a series I will be recommending!
Stars: 5
I received this book from Netgalley. I was not compensated for the book other than the entertainment it provided. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
March 1, 2022
If you’re looking for an epic tale, intriguing
second-chance romance, all-consuming novel, you’ve come to the right place.
After The Plague by Imogen Keeper will show you that even in the darkest time of your life, there’s still hope. There’s always light at the end of the tunnel.
Now let’s talk about the two very likeable main characters, Frankie and Yorke. These two never thought to find comfort in each other when surviving an apocalypse through grief and dread were hard enough.
This book will blow your mind with it’s heartbreaking and comforting story all at the same time. The kind that stays with you long after you finished the book.
I never thought any story about surviving an apocalypse would be high on my favourite book list. But here I am.
Reading a book means learning something new. This book is so much more. The survival skill, military stuff, the gun, the fighting, the relationship.. Wow! It’s a perfect balance of action and romance. So, if you haven’t already, read this book now.
Thanks to #NetGalley for the free copy I received.
#imogenkeeper #NetGalley
second-chance romance, all-consuming novel, you’ve come to the right place.
After The Plague by Imogen Keeper will show you that even in the darkest time of your life, there’s still hope. There’s always light at the end of the tunnel.
Now let’s talk about the two very likeable main characters, Frankie and Yorke. These two never thought to find comfort in each other when surviving an apocalypse through grief and dread were hard enough.
This book will blow your mind with it’s heartbreaking and comforting story all at the same time. The kind that stays with you long after you finished the book.
I never thought any story about surviving an apocalypse would be high on my favourite book list. But here I am.
Reading a book means learning something new. This book is so much more. The survival skill, military stuff, the gun, the fighting, the relationship.. Wow! It’s a perfect balance of action and romance. So, if you haven’t already, read this book now.
Thanks to #NetGalley for the free copy I received.
#imogenkeeper #NetGalley
November 8, 2021
99 percent of the population are dead from a mysterious plague. Only One percent remain to pick up the pieces.
Frankie is part of the one percent, she has no skills to survive this post apocalyptic world but somewhere deep inside she finds the will to survive.
I loved, loved, loved this series and I cannot wait for the next book in the series. I’m a sucker for post apocalyptic books and this has to be my favourite so far.
Frankie is a great character, strong and resourceful. I really felt for her in the beginning, losing her husband and having nothing left to live for but each day she finds the strength to carry on.
Yorke has all the skills to survive in this new world. He is trained to kill and survive. But with Frankie he has a real soft side.
Imogen keeper is a great storyteller, her characters are likeable and are easy to relate to. The story flows at a good pace and for me has just the right amount of romance.
Thank you to Netgalley, Mindless Muse Publishing and the author for an advanced copy of this book for an honest review.
Frankie is part of the one percent, she has no skills to survive this post apocalyptic world but somewhere deep inside she finds the will to survive.
I loved, loved, loved this series and I cannot wait for the next book in the series. I’m a sucker for post apocalyptic books and this has to be my favourite so far.
Frankie is a great character, strong and resourceful. I really felt for her in the beginning, losing her husband and having nothing left to live for but each day she finds the strength to carry on.
Yorke has all the skills to survive in this new world. He is trained to kill and survive. But with Frankie he has a real soft side.
Imogen keeper is a great storyteller, her characters are likeable and are easy to relate to. The story flows at a good pace and for me has just the right amount of romance.
Thank you to Netgalley, Mindless Muse Publishing and the author for an advanced copy of this book for an honest review.
November 13, 2021
Okay, now...
So, I'm so sad/freaked/stressed and anxious! WTH!?! I am so invested that you would think I know these people and we are trying to survive here! I cannot stop thinking about this series & now having to wait on book 4! %-( You know you're on to something if you get this involved! These books are so freaking good, guys...you just gotta get into them and go on the journey. %-) On to the next! #HappyReadying ♥
I received an Advance Reading Copy from the Author via Bookfunnel for an honest review.
So, I'm so sad/freaked/stressed and anxious! WTH!?! I am so invested that you would think I know these people and we are trying to survive here! I cannot stop thinking about this series & now having to wait on book 4! %-( You know you're on to something if you get this involved! These books are so freaking good, guys...you just gotta get into them and go on the journey. %-) On to the next! #HappyReadying ♥
I received an Advance Reading Copy from the Author via Bookfunnel for an honest review.
January 21, 2022
AAAHHH! Stop. Stop. Stop. I am genuinely surprised by this series… and must continue it! Post-apocalyptic fantasy romance is so hit-or-miss for me and I can’t believe I found a good one. I requested this arc from netgalley on a whim and I’m posting this review a couple of days later. I couldn’t put it down. Plot? Check. Characters? Check. Pacing? Check. Writing style? Check. Dialogue? Check. I’m so happy!
November 13, 2021
I absolutely loved these books! I just finished one after another and could not put them down. Definitely lost several hours of sleep but totally worth it! I loved these books and the characters are so astonishing. You will be addicted from page one of book one and I never wanted to stop!
February 21, 2022
Thank you NetGalley and the publishers for giving me early access to this book in exchange for an honest review. The first three sentences of the book had me hooked. I’ve read apocalyptic/dystopian books before and I have always liked them. However, after Covid it gives you a better appreciation for these books. I connected with the characters right away and loved getting to see both of their perspectives. The only things that I did not like was the ending. It just seemed to wrap everything up really quickly. Overall this was such a good read.
February 21, 2022
I received access to After the Plague (Volumes 1, 2, & 3) on NetGalley. An 890-page novel that takes place in a world with an extremely contagious virus that wipes out almost all of the world. Frankie, Auden, and Yorke are the main characters of this volume set. An artist, a little boy, and a soldier must go through a series of events with the end of the world happening. There is death, nation, suspense, and more. The writing is SO good, I couldn't put this one down! In exchange for an honest review, this is definitely one of my top ten reads of 2022. GO CHECK THIS OUT!
February 27, 2022
After the pandemic I have become obsessed with dystopian novels and this one was a really good one, I just enjoyed it and devoured it.
This was very well written and I am so glad that I found this author.
I was given a free copy by netgalley and the publishers but the review is entirely my own.
This was very well written and I am so glad that I found this author.
I was given a free copy by netgalley and the publishers but the review is entirely my own.
November 30, 2021
I came across After the Plague when I was looking for books to request on NetGalley, they provided it to me and I’m very grateful for it to them and also Imogen for writing it.
I didn’t know what to expect from a series with a post apocalyptic scenario where a virus is responsible for the human (almost complete) extermination in a time like this when we have COVID roaming around. However, these books bring a message that could serve us all: hope. Hope that in the end, everything is going to be ok.
I loved the plot, scenario and the characters (all of them from main to secondary). I’ve read some books with this theme before (ones written by really famous writers), but this series is my favorite. I’ll be reading the fourth installment next and you, who is reading this, even if you don’t believe me, just read the first chapter, and I’m sure it’ll captivate you as it captivated me.
I didn’t know what to expect from a series with a post apocalyptic scenario where a virus is responsible for the human (almost complete) extermination in a time like this when we have COVID roaming around. However, these books bring a message that could serve us all: hope. Hope that in the end, everything is going to be ok.
I loved the plot, scenario and the characters (all of them from main to secondary). I’ve read some books with this theme before (ones written by really famous writers), but this series is my favorite. I’ll be reading the fourth installment next and you, who is reading this, even if you don’t believe me, just read the first chapter, and I’m sure it’ll captivate you as it captivated me.
November 29, 2021
Great post apocalyptic with a slow build romance
I cannot say enough about this author, she is so talented, putting an amazing amount of feeling and emotion into her story. The writing has a lot of depth that allows the reader a connection to these characters. I can practically feel their pain, grief, anger and love. The writing flows very well and is witty, fun, happy, sad and realistic. This is a great start to this series that must be read in order, and there is still more to come, I cannot wait. I received this book for free and voluntarily reviewed.
I cannot say enough about this author, she is so talented, putting an amazing amount of feeling and emotion into her story. The writing has a lot of depth that allows the reader a connection to these characters. I can practically feel their pain, grief, anger and love. The writing flows very well and is witty, fun, happy, sad and realistic. This is a great start to this series that must be read in order, and there is still more to come, I cannot wait. I received this book for free and voluntarily reviewed.
February 11, 2022
Thank you NetGalley and the publishers for allowing me access to this book in exchange for an honest review.
Only 1% of the world’s population remains after a mysterious plague, post Coronavirus. Frankie and Yorke are part of this 1%and their only agenda now is survival.
This book captured me. It’s a great post apocalyptic romance that kept turning page after page until we’ll into the night. Enjoy!
Only 1% of the world’s population remains after a mysterious plague, post Coronavirus. Frankie and Yorke are part of this 1%and their only agenda now is survival.
This book captured me. It’s a great post apocalyptic romance that kept turning page after page until we’ll into the night. Enjoy!
Want to read
December 16, 2021Title: After the Plague
Author: Imogen Keeper
Genre: Romance, fantasy
Rating: 4 out of 5
I read all three of these stories—Broken, Lost, and Found—pretty quickly. I enjoyed both Frankie’s and Yorke’s points-of-view, as well as the characters themselves. This was an interesting dystopian viewpoint, too: far enough in the future to change daily life (like the prevalence of solar-powered homes so the characters can find one to stay in pretty easily), but not so different that the reader doesn’t feel completely at home. I’m also intrigued by what the red-haired woman who has taken over the White House is up to, so I’ll likely read the fourth volume in this series, Safe, very soon.
(Galley courtesy of Mindless Muse Publishing in exchange for an honest review.)
Author: Imogen Keeper
Genre: Romance, fantasy
Rating: 4 out of 5
I read all three of these stories—Broken, Lost, and Found—pretty quickly. I enjoyed both Frankie’s and Yorke’s points-of-view, as well as the characters themselves. This was an interesting dystopian viewpoint, too: far enough in the future to change daily life (like the prevalence of solar-powered homes so the characters can find one to stay in pretty easily), but not so different that the reader doesn’t feel completely at home. I’m also intrigued by what the red-haired woman who has taken over the White House is up to, so I’ll likely read the fourth volume in this series, Safe, very soon.
(Galley courtesy of Mindless Muse Publishing in exchange for an honest review.)
December 9, 2021
This is billed as a trilogy, but there aren’t actually three stories, as the first and third stories jarringly have have no ending. Setting-wise, the first story talks a lot about the impact of the plague conditions, but it didn’t make good science fiction. It felt like stale and disingenuous storytelling copied from someone’s journal entries during the COVID-19 lock down—but turned up to eleven. My biggest problem with the plot is the ad hoc army, lead, improbably, by an evil red head woman. Nothing about that made sense to me from the army’s motivation to the unresolved crisis. (Should I mention there’s another group that’s lead by a luscious Wonder Woman type?) I also didn’t like anything regarding one of the secondary characters who came back to life. It seemed improbable, shmalzy, and gratuitous. Sections two and three have quite a few sentences that don’t make any sense according to English grammar rules. They felt like maybe hasty cut and paste edits that weren’t proofread.
On the good side, the romance parts are hot though sometimes a little stiff and formulaic. They would make terrific interludes for a harlequin romance type novel with a better plot. I think this needs a serious revision and then submit it to a romance publisher. You can tell the writer is very intelligent and only spent a minimal amount of time to create some high octane cotton candy escapist fiction. There’s nothing wrong with escapist fiction.
Thank you NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for my feedback.
On the good side, the romance parts are hot though sometimes a little stiff and formulaic. They would make terrific interludes for a harlequin romance type novel with a better plot. I think this needs a serious revision and then submit it to a romance publisher. You can tell the writer is very intelligent and only spent a minimal amount of time to create some high octane cotton candy escapist fiction. There’s nothing wrong with escapist fiction.
Thank you NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for my feedback.
January 16, 2022
I received an arc for my fair and honest review. I didn't realize there was a fourth volume until I finished this and omg, I've gotta read it asap! I freaking loved this series way more than I thought I would. I love all things post apocalyptic, I loved the characters and I really felt a connection to them. It was fast paced, exciting, LOL funny, and I will be recommending After the Plague to everyone!
March 7, 2022
Alright, let's get into this.
The best thing about this were the kid and the dog - please note that I'm a cat person who doesn't like children and do with that what you want.
For the fact that we're a month into the apocalypse, the entire thing is overly sexual. Let's be real, my priorities wouldn't be to stare at a strange woman's ass when I pass her on the street while I'm on my way to rob a grocery store. Apparently, both Frankie and Yorke think differently in that aspect, because that's mostly the things they focus on.
Both our main characters are very one-note.
We've got Yorke: horny military dudebro; and then we've got Frankie: horny self-pity.
They didn't really give me much to work with so I could like them, so I didn't. Their relationship doesn't have much chemistry besides the fact that they want to jump each other's bones 24/7 and we're not getting all that much character development either.
The only highlight was Auden and Best because they were adorable, but unfortunately that's all I can give these books.
To nobody's surprise, I won't be purchasing book 4.
The best thing about this were the kid and the dog - please note that I'm a cat person who doesn't like children and do with that what you want.
For the fact that we're a month into the apocalypse, the entire thing is overly sexual. Let's be real, my priorities wouldn't be to stare at a strange woman's ass when I pass her on the street while I'm on my way to rob a grocery store. Apparently, both Frankie and Yorke think differently in that aspect, because that's mostly the things they focus on.
Both our main characters are very one-note.
We've got Yorke: horny military dudebro; and then we've got Frankie: horny self-pity.
They didn't really give me much to work with so I could like them, so I didn't. Their relationship doesn't have much chemistry besides the fact that they want to jump each other's bones 24/7 and we're not getting all that much character development either.
The only highlight was Auden and Best because they were adorable, but unfortunately that's all I can give these books.
To nobody's surprise, I won't be purchasing book 4.
March 2, 2022
NetGalley and Mindless Muse Publishing provided an e-book of the 3-volume set in exchange for my honest review.
4.5 ⭐️
Why have I never heard of Imogen Keeper?!?
After a deadly virus kills 99% of the population, those remaining have to figure out how to rebuild. POVs alternate between our lovely damsel-turned-fighter Frankie and the seductive soldier, Yorke.
To sum it up without spoilers, imagine all the post-apocalyptic situations you can think of, subtract the zombies and aliens, add some slow burn romance with a sprinkle of smut, divide by the number of times they flirt with death, and multiply it by the cuteness overload from my little baby Auden!
If anyone ever figures out how to create this danger and romance concoction in liquid form, please inject it straight into my veins to hold me over until the next book!
4.5 ⭐️
Why have I never heard of Imogen Keeper?!?
After a deadly virus kills 99% of the population, those remaining have to figure out how to rebuild. POVs alternate between our lovely damsel-turned-fighter Frankie and the seductive soldier, Yorke.
To sum it up without spoilers, imagine all the post-apocalyptic situations you can think of, subtract the zombies and aliens, add some slow burn romance with a sprinkle of smut, divide by the number of times they flirt with death, and multiply it by the cuteness overload from my little baby Auden!
If anyone ever figures out how to create this danger and romance concoction in liquid form, please inject it straight into my veins to hold me over until the next book!
November 26, 2021
“In a pandemic is that what dead people become? Trash that needs to be cleared away?” - Frankie
“We might be dead. But we have this moment. And this moment is perfect.” - Frankie
“So, I do the only thing that makes any sense right now. I lie down in the dirt on top of my dead husband’s grave, press my face into the mud right where his shoulder would be, and let the rain wash down.” - Frankie
This. Book. Was. Amazing.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This story follow Frankie and Yorke as they make their way through a deadly virus that hits D.C. and the apocalypse that occurs as a result of it.
This book is a collection of the first three volumes in this series. I highly recommend picking this up instead of reading the books separately. The first volume definitely reads more like a part one to a story than an entire book.
Although the first volume was a little slow for me, the rest of the books definitely made up for it!
Frankie struggles with losing her husband, Jimmy to the virus and Yorke struggles with being on his own while looking for his brother.
Frankie is not wanting to continue on after Jimmy dies, but a dog comes up to her and she is compelled to follow him and help him. This event changes the course of her apocalyptic life completely.
Yorke is also on the verge of not wanting to continue on, but he hears something that makes him determined to continue on.
One of my favorite things about this book is Frankie and Jimmy’s relationship. The time you get to spend with them as a couple is amazing and the way you get to see how Frankie struggles with his loss breaks your heart all over again.
Even though there is a good amount of plot in this story, this is very character driven. As a reader, you really do come to love all the characters in this story. I did not think I was going to like Yorke much in the beginning, but hear I am, rooting for him and Frankie.
Another part of this book I love is Frankie’s relationship with Auden. You really get to see Both Frankie and Yorke change and grow throughout this book and it is incredible.
I highly recommend picking up this book! I cannot wait to continue on with this series!
“We might be dead. But we have this moment. And this moment is perfect.” - Frankie
“So, I do the only thing that makes any sense right now. I lie down in the dirt on top of my dead husband’s grave, press my face into the mud right where his shoulder would be, and let the rain wash down.” - Frankie
This. Book. Was. Amazing.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This story follow Frankie and Yorke as they make their way through a deadly virus that hits D.C. and the apocalypse that occurs as a result of it.
This book is a collection of the first three volumes in this series. I highly recommend picking this up instead of reading the books separately. The first volume definitely reads more like a part one to a story than an entire book.
Although the first volume was a little slow for me, the rest of the books definitely made up for it!
Frankie struggles with losing her husband, Jimmy to the virus and Yorke struggles with being on his own while looking for his brother.
Frankie is not wanting to continue on after Jimmy dies, but a dog comes up to her and she is compelled to follow him and help him. This event changes the course of her apocalyptic life completely.
Yorke is also on the verge of not wanting to continue on, but he hears something that makes him determined to continue on.
One of my favorite things about this book is Frankie and Jimmy’s relationship. The time you get to spend with them as a couple is amazing and the way you get to see how Frankie struggles with his loss breaks your heart all over again.
Even though there is a good amount of plot in this story, this is very character driven. As a reader, you really do come to love all the characters in this story. I did not think I was going to like Yorke much in the beginning, but hear I am, rooting for him and Frankie.
Another part of this book I love is Frankie’s relationship with Auden. You really get to see Both Frankie and Yorke change and grow throughout this book and it is incredible.
I highly recommend picking up this book! I cannot wait to continue on with this series!
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